Best of Kyushu Japan self-drive tour

Spend the morning exploring the vibrant city of Fukuoka. The canals running through the city give a unique flavor. In the evening head out for a street food tour for a true introduction to Kyushu cuisine.

Pick up your hire car today and drive to the onsen village of Kurokawa and spend the rest of the day at leisure relaxing in the sumptuous hot springs.

There are some nice walks to be done or make use of your hire car to explore more of the area. You can also take advantage of a day pass to visit other hot springs in the village.

Travel south to the sheer limestone cliffs of Takachiho Gorge. Once freshened up, perhaps hire a rowing boat and drift gently along the river through waterfalls and cliff faces.

Make the drive down south to the small coastal town of Ibusuki famous for the hot sand bathing on offer in the area.

From Ibusuki head up to the larger city of Kagoshima, not before stopping off in the small town of Chiran to see the Kamikaze museum and samurai residences.

Spend a day in the city of Kagoshima. The most prominent feature of Kagoshima is its location in the shadow of the enormous Sakurajima volcano. The active volcano often spews ash over the city and leaves the residents with the almost daily task of sweeping ash from their driveways.

Take a short drive to the Kirishima National Park, a fantastic destination for hikers of all levels.

At leisure, visit Kirishima National Park to enjoy some of the many walking trails and soak up the beautifully verdant green of this part of Kyushu.

Return to Kagoshima, drop off your hire car and board the train to Kumamoto and spend the rest of the day at leisure. Our recommendation for the afternoon is to visit Kumamoto Castle and its nearby Suizenji gardens.

A short drive to the port to board the car ferry over to Unzen Peninsula from where you climb the mountain via the sulfuric bubbling pools at the top of Mount Unzen. After, head back down the mountain over to Nagasaki Bay and the city itself.

At leisure in Nagasaki. It's worth visiting the small yet quite harrowing peace museum, but more of what Nagasaki has to offer is in town, such as Glover Garden, on which 'Madame Butterfly' was based, and Dejima Wharf at sunset.

At leisure, explore 'Gunkanjima' or 'Battleship Island', infamous for its eerily vacant and uninhabited atmosphere often used in movies.

Continue by train to Hakata, a lovely journey along the coast and through paddy fields. Once in Fukuoka, enjoy the remainder of your evening in this compact but buzzy modern city.

Take the easy subway line to the airport and board your flight back to Tokyo for a final night in the capital.

Take the airport shuttle bus to the airport and board your return flight.